Reign (31 page)

He was dead.

Jezebel sank to the ground. She was free of him, she knew, but this freedom hurt. There was no pleasure in it. She looked at him again and realized he had never been the source of her pain. How could that be, that men had caused her to suffer, yet when she was free of them, the suffering remained? What mystery was this?

She stood and kissed him on the mouth, wondering if he could still feel it, if his spirit hovered near. As she raised back up, Ahaziah cried loudly. She tasted Ahab’s blood on her lips.

Obadiah fell to his knees, weeping. He was on the other side of the chariot, closer to Ahab’s body. He was always closer, she thought. She heard his wail change into a chanted word. “No,” he wept over and again. “No.”

“Your god was right,” Jezebel said to Obadiah. He stopped his moans and looked at her, like he was seeing a stranger for the first time.

“Your god was right,” Jezebel said. “Be happy.”

Obadiah gathered his strength and faced the body. He placed his hands under Ahab’s legs and torso and lifted the king from his chariot. Obadiah carried the fallen king through the streets of Samaria, refusing to let anyone touch him or help. Jezebel followed behind. Obadiah carried Ahab up the steps of the palace, the palace that Jezebel had brought to life. The ivory and gold winked at her as it swallowed Ahab inside.

Behind her, a woman whispered, “Which is to be the king?”

Jezebel realized she was speaking of Ahab’s sons.

“Your king is Ahab!” Jezebel shouted, turning to the crowd, searching for the woman who dared say such a stupid thing. “Have you already forgotten that? Ahab is your king! And you never loved him! None of you!”

Jezebel gritted her teeth until she could not breathe. She steadied herself before walking on, but as she did, something began to form in her mind, like a child struggling to create his letters. She waited as the words assembled.

“No,” she whispered. Yahweh’s prophecy crept over her like a spider walking across her neck.

I will bring disaster on you. I will cut off your name and kill every male connected with you.

God was always right. Jezebel grabbed for Ahaziah’s hand. Where could she run? She turned round and round, the sun too bright, mocking, blinding her as she searched for refuge. She could not face the throne or stay in the streets. The Lord was here. And he was going to strike her sons. He would strike her, and dogs would lick her blood.

But a rasping sound comforted her, the sound of a serpent moving in the streets. She looked into doorways and between the feet all around her, but she could not see it. But a serpent moved here, too.

She wiped her mouth, and her hand came away red. The Lord would strike her, yes.

But not yet.

… a little more …

When a delightful concert comes to an end,

the orchestra might offer an encore.

When a fine meal comes to an end,

it’s always nice to savor a bit of dessert.

When a great story comes to an end,

we think you may want to linger.

And so, we offer ...

AfterWords—
just a little something more after you

have finished a David C Cook novel.

We invite you to stay awhile in the story.

Thanks for reading!

Turn the page for ...

• Letter to Readers

• Resources

• Acknowledgments

LETTER TO READERS

Jezebel reigned in Israel for about sixty years, dying an old woman in her seventies or eighties. Incorrectly painted as a seductress, Jezebel relied most often on raw courage and intellect. However, her real legacy may be one of mass child sacrifice.

A
tophet
was discovered a few years ago in the ancient city of Carthage, a city that Jezebel’s people founded. This tophet, which is a Hebrew term for “the place of burning,” is believed to date back to the Phoenicians and contains the burned remains of more than twenty thousand infants.

Child sacrifice was not an uncommon practice among the ancients, but this evidence suggests that the Phoenicians engaged in these sacrifices in unprecedented numbers. Of course, no modern country wants to be associated with such a gruesome history. More than one government has ruled against any further excavations to see what else can be uncovered from Jezebel’s days as Israel’s most infamous queen.

Modern readers will likely not know much about her, although one piece of text exists that might hold a real surprise. In the scene when Jezebel is led into Samaria for the first time, a song is sung in her honor. You may know it better as Psalm 45. Scholars believe Psalm 45 may have been written as a wedding poem for Jezebel and Ahab. The words that faithful Christians use to worship our God may be the same words that were once sung to please Jezebel.

In another strange twist, Jezebel has become an unlikely folk hero to a new breed of feminists, who praise her ferocious strength in a time when men seemed to wield all the power. Although her seal was discovered in a dig in Israel—a ring bearing her name and ancient symbols—the secrets of her reign may forever lie buried.

Until we meet,

Ginger Garrett

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am so grateful to the many good people who have helped make this book a reality.

Writing is a delicate balance between following my vision and submitting to the wisdom of those around me. I am blessed to have such a strong and wise team.

First, to Mitch, for never letting me give up. Second to Nicci Hubert, a gifted and patient editor, who never let me give up either. Both can attest that this was an odd book to work on, plagued by strange events and setbacks. What normally would take me six months took almost two years. At times, I would just lay my head on my desk and wish to be anywhere else. I thank God for you both, Mitch and Nicci!

I also wish to thank the bookstore owners and sales staff who have helped readers discover my work. I appreciate your every effort.

I owe another debt to my readers, many of whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting at signings or through my website, www.gingergarrett.com. Nothing has made me happier as a writer than to hear from my diverse base of readers. My favorite comment is always, “I liked your book so much I went back to read the Bible’s version and see what really happened.” You all get it.

I want to thank Terry Behimer for being so gracious despite the setbacks and my fumbles and foibles. And Marilyn Largent for introducing me to so many stores. And Ingrid Beck, for having every answer I possibly need. A huge debt is owed to Caitlyn Carlson, too, for her work as the finest copyeditor I’ve ever known.

A writer’s work is done in seclusion and privacy, but I am never alone. Writing a novel is rarely easy, and I fight laziness, exhaustion, and distraction every day, but as the days go by I begin to see the beauty of a disciplined effort to follow Another’s lead. My wishes are for each one of you who has had a hand in bringing this book to fruition. May your efforts be repaid in blessings ten times over.

RESOURCES

There were several volumes I relied on heavily and would recommend to your library:

Chronological and Background Charts of the Old Testament
and
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament
by John H. Walton.

I also liked the
Holman Bible Atlas
and the
Holman Book of Biblical Charts, Maps, and Reconstructions
.

Of course, many details were inspired by works published by the Biblical Archaeology Society’s magazine,
Biblical Archaeology Review
. Seeing the objects and artifacts that link us to these stories gives shape to the times and makes the characters more accessible. Biblical texts have been taken or adapted from the New International Version and
THE MESSAGE
.

REIGN

Published by David C Cook

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All rights reserved. No part of this ebook may be reproduced, scanned, resold, or distributed by or through any print or electronic medium without written permission from the publisher. This ebook is licensed solely for the personal and noncommercial use of the original authorized purchaser, subject to the terms of use under which it was purchased. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

The website addresses recommended throughout this book are offered as a resource to you. These websites are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement on the part of David C Cook, nor do we vouch for their content.

This story is a work of fiction. Characters and events are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is coincidental.

Scripture quotations are taken or adapted from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1984 by Biblica, Inc™. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com; and from
THE MESSAGE
. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

LCCN 2013933124

ISBN 978-1-4347-6596-3

eISBN 978-1-4347-0514-3

© 2013 Ginger Garrett

The author is represented by MacGregor Literary

The Team: Terry Behimer, Nicci Hubert, Amy Konyndyk, Caitlyn Carlson, Karen Athen